British MPs write to Manmohan Singh against Koodankulam nuke plant

LONDON: A few British lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha protesting against the nuclear power plant at Koodankulam in a tsunami-prone area of Tamil Nadu.

In the letter, they have demanded the halting of the construction of the plant claiming that it violated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Guidelines as "the Koodankulam is in a tsunami and earthquake prone region which has also experienced small volcanic eruptions and is affected by water shortages".

In addition to the MPs who have signed, two others have expressed their concern about the way people in Koodankulam are being treated.

According to Amrit Wilson of South Asia Solidarity Group, which is one of the groups organising a protest demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission to the UK today, Henry Smith MP is writing to the British Foreign Secretary and Jean Lambert, Member of the European Parliament is herself writing to Manmohan Singh separately.

And Keith Taylor in a separate statement said "people have a right to protest against the construction of this nuclear power plant and I am concerned at the way they're being treated".

Organisations representing South Asians in Britain and anti-nuclear groups including Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) planned to join the protest slated for later this evening.